I found the way that this show exploited the deaths of about 5,000 people to generated funds for anti-rights organizations appalling. This concert was originally scheduled for 9/20/01, but was rescheduled for 10/09 due to the WTC attack. HOWEVER, at that time they decided to tie into the groups collecting money to help victims of the WTC attacks to help boost the money that they collect and receive more support. TNT even began to advertise it more for WTC support than its' original intention to generate funds to support a political agenda.
Here it is in the Brady Campaign's own words:
Event is Now Dedicated to the Victims of the September 11 Terrorist Attacks and to
Increasing Support for a Non-Violent World
(Washington, D.C.) A John Lennon tribute concert to benefit the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence
and the Million Mom March Foundation, originally scheduled for September 20, has been rescheduled for
October 2 due to the horrific terrorist attacks of September 11.
In addition to the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence united with the Million Mom March, the concert
will benefit relief organizations including the American Red Cross, September 11th Fund, International
Association of Fire Fighters, New York Fraternal Order of Police WTC Fund, The National Organization
for Victim Assistance, and The Twin Towers Fund, and the Violence Policy Center.
http://www.bradycampaign.org/press/r...asp?Record=342
Of the 10 organizations listed, 3 of them are anti-gun groups!! What kind of people would use the largest single loss of lives of American citizens to generate money to support a personal political cause? When asked how the money would be divided or what percentage was actually going to support organizations related to the WTC attacks, no response was given.
http://www.mediaresearch.org/news/cy...20011003.asp#2
"Live from Radio City Music Hall, an all-star concert dedicated to New York City and its
people" to raise money for charities helping the victims of the terrorist attack on the
World Trade Center. And, the producers did not advertise, to raise money for liberal gun
control groups.
Only a discerning viewer could tell the event had any secondary agenda, but Tuesday night’s
two-hour simulcast on WB and TNT of a special concert titled, "Come Together: A Night of John
Lennon’s Words and Music," directed viewers to a Web site which, in a page created to collect
donations generated by the televised concert, provided contribution links for three gun control
groups, including the Million Mom March.
Perusing Robert Bianco’s "Critic’s Corner" box at the top of Tuesday’s USA Today TV listings
page, I caught this sentence: "Cousin companies WB and TNT join for a simulcast of Come
Together: A Night of John Lennon’s Words and Music (tonight, 8 ET/PT), an all-star benefit for
New York City relief efforts and gun control organizations."
"Come Together" by uniting a nation to fight terrorism, but subtlety use the outpouring of
support to direct money to an ideological political cause on an issue which splits the nation?
Indeed, that is what the producers of the concert pulled off with the assistance of AOL Time
Warner, owners not only of the two networks which carried the concert of singers performing
Lennon songs, but also of the Web site which collected donations, helping.org.
A full page ad in Tuesday’s USA Today offered no hint of any liberal gun regulation agenda.
"Tonight -- Live from Radio City Music Hall" the ad proclaimed, "An All-Star Concert Dedicated to
New York City and Its People."
At the top of the show, however, host Kevin Spacey, who wore a flag lapel pin, exposed the
original agenda for the program: "‘Come Together.’ That was the name for this night when it was
first planned over a year ago. This was to have been not only a chance to honor the words and
music of John Lennon, but also to give the good fight for gun control, non-violence and to help give
peace a chance."
In an October 2 story, USA Today’s Elysa Gardner explained: "Earlier this year, when
[Lennon widow] Ono and producer Ken Ehrlich began putting together a concert saluting her late
husband, John Lennon, they were motivated in part by concern about youth violence. Ono wanted
Lennon's songs and legacy to help ‘teach children that the violent way isn't the right way.’ But on
Sept. 11, nine days before the show's scheduled date, a terrorist attack on the city that Lennon
considered his adopted home -- and where he was murdered nearly 21 years ago -- forced the
postponement of the Lennon tribute, even as it reinforced its purpose."
Gardner, however, failed to note how the show would still financially boost gun control groups
as she listed only victims groups as beneficiaries: "Come Together will benefit various relief
organizations, among them the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the September 11th
Fund and the Twin Towers Fund."
Other than Spacey’s opening comment, the show did avoid any promotion of the gun control
agenda. Before each commercial break viewers saw an 800 number and the
www.helping.org
Web address for donations. At three breaks video vignettes promoted specific charities, all
related to the attacks: the September 11th Fund, New York State World Trade Center Relief Fund
and the New York Firefighters 9-11 Disaster Relief Fund.
But those who went to helping.org during the two-hour broadcast/cable simulcast saw
"Donate Now" links for three gun control groups.
An All-Star Concert of John Lennon's Music Dedicated to NYC
John Lennon's music inspired a generation and continues to influence the world. COME
TOGETHER: A NIGHT FOR JOHN LENNON'S WORDS & MUSIC is a special musical event of
prayer and healing for New York City and its people. In light of the terrorists attacks that
devastated New York city on September 11, 2001, the event spotlights charities working to help
victims and their families and the city of New York rebuild. The event also focuses attention to
charities working to stop gun violence.
.....
http://www.helping.org/cometogether/
http://www.helping.org/cometogether/...p?id=521571442
http://www.helping.org/cometogether/...p?id=521285097
http://www.helping.org/cometogether/...p?id=943326481
.....
The evening concert was not free of politics since many of Lennon’s lyrics expressed views
and the show featured video clips of Lennon’s "give peach a chance"-type comments. Presenter
Ben Stiller even joked about the Beatles and Lennon’s leftist viewpoint: "Lest we forget, they were
also revolutionary wits. Somehow they combined the rock ‘n roll cool of Elvis Presley with the
comedic genius of the Marx brothers -- though with John around you always wondered if,
perhaps, Zeppo Marx had been replaced by Karl Marx."
Ha ha. While mourning the loss of thousands to mass murdering terrorists, actor Ben Stiller
joked about the honoree’s political congruence with the man behind the formation of communism,
a political ideology responsible in the last century for the murder of more civilians than any other
form of government.
What do you suppose would have been the media response if the NRA had sponsored an event for Charton Heston's birithday, celebrating his march and support of civil rights issues in the 1960's, then tied it to collecting donations for WTC victim relief? If you want to support the victims of the WTC PLEASE do so. If you want to support gun control organizations, go ahead. Please do not be taken in by the way this program was presented, your money will not go where you want it to.
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